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I have 11 acres in central FL, about 6 that was in orange grove. The grove was infected with HLB and had to be ripped out. So now it is time to decide what to replace it with.

This is mostly about keeping the AG designation, and is only a part time thing.

Options so far.

Hay, Avocado, Macadamia, or Pines.

The Hay would be easiest to plant, but looks like the most work.
Avocado, or Macadamia trees would be pretty expensive to put in, but would yield some income down the road.
Pines would be less expensive to put in, and would keep the AG designation, but would not return much income.

I don't consider Blue Berries, or Peaches as options. Too many Blue Berry farms popping up replacing Orange Groves. Peaches take a lot of work, pesticides, ect.

Any thoughts, suggestions, ideas welcomed!

Thanks GW

Grapes

Do something different - maybe Limes ?

That a thought, I will have to look into.

I believe the HLB (Citrus Greening) can infect any Citrus. It is killing most of the Citrus in FL.

My buddies dad raises organic avocados down there. No clue on how many acres. He makes good money selling them.

Plant trees on it for the ag exemption

Kinda thinking it is my easy out.

ganja

He He, I got an idea that would attract the wrong crowd.

In time yes.


For now my vote is avocado.

People have went full retard for those things. They dont even taste that good. No idea.


Market them as organic, free range/cage free avocados and they will be beating a path to your door.

Florida crops are way out of my slim area of expertize.

Jim Hay will pay better this year just throwing it out

Hay isn’t that much “work” IME, if you’re talking grass hay. You could likely keep your AG status if you seeded it to hay and had someone else swath and bail it. Lots of guys around here with grass pastures have them cut and bailed on the halves splitting the hay with the guy bailing it as payment. That way you don’t have to invest in a tractor, swather, and bailer.

Fertilize once a year, have it cut, sell your half and Viola! You get farm tags for your truck and a tax number for the “farm”.

I don’t know how much demand there is for hay in FL but when I worked for a guy with a haying service we did it this way pretty regularly.

Already calling for 120-150 dollars a ton up here.

Yeah, no kidding.

Mom had a couple of them in her back yard, they put out ton's of fruit.

One question.....why the hell would anyone need to feed hay in Florida?????????

First things first, be sure to buy a big hat.

I was concerned that no one would want to Swath and Bail such a small tract.

The demand is pretty good, still plenty of cattle and horses in the area.

What crops do they grow near you?